ABSTRACT

Research suggests that there are significant problems with the way that the family courts deal with child arrangement proceedings involving domestic abuse. As allegations of domestic abuse are present in the majority of cases reaching the courts for a decision about who a child should spend time with, it is essential that the process and outcomes are safe for non-abusive parents and children. However, the recent conjoined appeal Re-H-N and others highlights flaws with the fact finding process and the presumption of parental involvement, resulting in minimisation of domestic abuse. These flaws were also identified by the 'Harm Panel' report (2020), which made recommendations for fundamental reforms. The Court of Appeal does not specify the nature of the reforms needed, but does confirm the need for a fresh approach. This case note will consider what went wrong in the four cases considered by the appellate court and how the cases bolster the urgent need for reform.

摘要

研究表明，家庭法院处理涉及家庭虐待的儿童安排诉讼的方式存在重大问题。由于大多数案件都存在家庭虐待的指控，以决定孩子应该与谁共度时光，因此对于非虐待父母和孩子来说，这一过程和结果是安全的，这一点至关重要。然而，最近的联合上诉 Re-HN 和其他人强调了事实调查过程和父母参与推定的缺陷，从而最大限度地减少了家庭虐待。“危害小组”报告（2020 年）也发现了这些缺陷，该报告提出了基本改革建议。上诉法院没有具体说明所需改革的性质，但确实确认了采用新方法的必要性。